Differentiation of Innovation Behavior of Manufacturing Firms in the New Member States. Cluster Analysis on Firm-Level Data

This paper investigates the differences in innovation behaviour, i.e. differences in innovation sources and innovation effects, among manufacturing firms in three NMS: the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. It is based on a survey of firms operating in four manufacturing industries: food and beverages, automotive, pharmaceuticals and electronics. The paper takes into account: innovation inputs in enterprises, cooperation among firms in R&D activities, the benefits of cooperation with business partners and innovation effects (innovation outputs and international competitiveness of firms' products and technology) in the three countries. After employing cluster analysis, five types of innovation patterns were detected. The paper characterises and compares these innovation patterns, highlighting differences and similarities. The paper shows that external knowledge plays an important role in innovation activities in NMS firms. The ability to explore cooperation with business partners and the benefits of using external knowledge are determined by in-house innovation activities, notably R&D intensity.Innovation patterns of firms, strategy of innovation, innovation behaviour, innovation sources, taxonomies of innovative firms, EU new member states

REFUSAL TO COMMENCE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS UNDER ARTICLE 61A OF THE CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

Niniejszy artykuł dotyczy problemu określanego, jako odmowa wszczęcia postępowania administracyjnego. Powyższe zagadnienie jest niezwykle istotne dla podmiotu administrowanego, gdyż wydanie przez organ administracji publicznej aktu w przedmiocie wszczęcia postępowania administracyjnego otwiera podmiotowi administrowanemu możliwość poddania tego aktu weryfikacji poprzez uruchomienie środków prawnych. Autorzy oparli swoje rozważania na treści niedawno dodanego do Kodeksu postępowania administracyjnego art. 61a, nakazującego wydać postanowienie o odmowie wszczęcia postępowania w dwóch sytuacjach: 1) gdy żądnie zostało wniesione przez osobę nie posiadającą legitymacji procesowej strony w postępowaniu oraz 2) gdy postępowanie z innych uzasadnionych przyczyn nie może być wszczęte.Niniejszy artykuł dotyczy problemu określanego, jako odmowa wszczęcia postępowania administracyjnego. Powyższe zagadnienie jest niezwykle istotne dla podmiotu administrowanego, gdyż wydanie przez organ administracji publicznej aktu w przedmiocie wszczęcia postępowania administracyjnego otwiera podmiotowi administrowanemu możliwość poddania tego aktu weryfikacji poprzez uruchomienie środków prawnych. Autorzy oparli swoje rozważania na treści niedawno dodanego do Kodeksu postępowania administracyjnego art. 61a, nakazującego wydać postanowienie o odmowie wszczęcia postępowania w dwóch sytuacjach: 1) gdy żądnie zostało wniesione przez osobę nie posiadającą legitymacji procesowej strony w postępowaniu oraz 2) gdy postępowanie z innych uzasadnionych przyczyn nie może być wszczęte

Stereological analysis of mitochondria in embryos of Rana temporaria and Bufo bufo during cleavage

Total numbers of mitochondria and their morphology have been quantitatively determined in mature oocytes and in cleaving embryos of two anuran species Rana temporaria and Bufo bufo using stereological methods. Surface densities of inner mitochondrial membranes for both studied species during cleavage ranged from 5.43 m2/cm3 to 7.53 m2/cm3, whereas volume densities of mitochondria did not exceed 1.65%. Since values of these parameters were low, thus embryos during cleavage may be considered as metabolically "silent". Transition of ultrastructural morphology of mitochondria towards that characterising actively respiring organelles occurs at stage 9 for R. temporaria and at stage 8 for B. bufo, correlated with blastula-gastrula and mid-blastula transition, respectively. The total numbers of mitochondria N(c) in mature oocytes are as high as 114.8 and 107.2 millions for R. temporaria and B. bufo, respectively, and during cleavage at late blastula stages they increase to 300 millions for both species under study. We suggest that an undefined mechanism might eliminate during cleavage those amphibian embryos which contain small number of mitochondria and low levels of nutrient substances

Quantum magnetostriction effect resulting from the asymmetric structure of matter measured with EPR spectrometer

This paper explains the rotation and displacement as well as the couple and force stress in material with unpaired electrons/nucleons subjected to a magnetic field. This phenomenon is described in terms of quantum mechanics for nanoparticle and quantum statistical mechanics for loose nanomaterial. Quantitative calculations are carried out based on experimental data collected under the magnetic field of an EPR spectrometer from a set of nanocrystallites of hydrated copper sulfate

Impacts of the Availability of Old-Age Benefits on Exits from the Labour Market

Given human longevity, fertility, health and social developments, workers become inactive relatively early throughout Europe. This partially stems from older workers being pushed out of the labour market and from personal motivation to prefer benefits to wages. We focus on this latter effect and analyse whether workers would have stayed active had they not been tempted by the availability of the old-age benefits. We focus on Poland, a country severely experiencing the problem of population ageing. In 2013 persons 50+ accounted for 37% of the total population. Although they enjoy a relatively low unemployment rate, their participation and employment rates are very low: 34% and 32%, respectively. We analyse whether this is due to the discouraged worker effect. We identify the cyclical properties of activity and discouraged worker rates, and estimate a set of logistic regressions to identify the determinants of the exits from the labour market. Cyclical analysis indicates that the added worker effect prevails over the discouraged worker effect. The discouraged worker effect appears with a delay of a few quarters. The process is asymmetric for females. Workers often permanently leave the market. The availability of old-age benefits increases the probability of outflow from unemployment to inactivity, as do unemployment rate changes. If old-age benefits become the main source of income for the worker within the 1 year interval, they are 8 to 20 times more likely to leave the workforce compared to those who receive either unemployment benefits or social welfare benefits